Crash and Burn
by ColoradoMFC
Summary: This is a one-shot.  Reid drives distracted, gets in a traffic accident, and Hotch has some choice words for him.


**Driving while distracted is a very bad idea! Reid gets into a traffic accident and Hotch has a few choice words for his behavior. Fair warning: Contains spanking of an adult – but he deserves everything he gets!**

**I do not own, rent or otherwise lay claim to Criminal Minds.**

**Please enjoy . . . **

**XOXOXOXOXO**

He was feeling distracted walking into the building this morning. The phone call, as usual, had him flustered. Bumping into yet another person in the hallway, he profusely apologized and continued moving at a break-neck walk toward the BAU offices. His skin was crawling which made him want to run, but it would not be professional.

Throwing open the glass doors to the bullpen, he rushed to his desk. He was the first one in this morning, except for Hotch, who he was fairly certain never went home. Checking his email, he found nothing of consequence and there were no new files on his desk. This was a good sign that he might be able to take a few days off.

His next stop was to see Hotch. The young agent had booked a direct flight to Las Vegas as soon as he heard from his mother's doctor that she was having some problems with her medication. Until a new drug regimen was established, having Spencer nearby always calmed her. His flight was due to leave at 11:00 tonight, but if he could get to the airport earlier, there was a better than average chance of flying stand-by instead. Surely Hotch would let him go.

The older agent looked up from his piles of paperwork when Spencer knocked timidly on his door. "Reid, you're in early."

Normally, asking for immediate time off would embarrass the young agent, but he was in too much of a dither to think about that now, "Hotch, can I get a few days off – starting today?"

This was an odd request. Reid never asked for time off. Hotch responded with a simple raised eyebrow and waited for further explanation.

"M-my mom is having difficulties right now. The doctor asked me to come for a little while." He could not seem to stop moving and fumbled with the nameplate he was absentmindedly playing with. Hotch gently took it out of the young agent's hands and replaced it on his desk with a mildly admonishing glance.

"Sit. Slow down." The older agent ordered, "Tell me what's going on."

It was agony sitting still, but Reid did as directed. As quickly as possible he laid out for his boss what was going on, "My mom's medications aren't working very well right now. This happens occasionally as her brain chemistry changes, and they have to readjust them. Generally, they can do this in just a few days, but she's frightened and belligerent all the time until the modifications start working."

Hotch noted the way his youngest agent talked even faster than normal. He was leaving out details in favor of saving time, and he was actually sweating. Clearly, this situation had him turned around inside. Hotch was aware that visiting his mother always made the young man uncomfortable, but the thought of seeing her in a continual "episode", as Reid called them, had to have a disturbing impact on him. He did not think it was fair of the doctor to call upon her son to help with Dianna Reid's medical problems in this way, but what could he do? "Certainly," he responded to the request, "take as much time as you need. Is there anything I can do in the meantime?"

Actually, there was something, and Reid might normally have been a bit hesitant to ask, but today was different, "Can I borrow your car? I have to pay my electric bill before I go or they'll shut my power off tomorrow." He received another raised eyebrow from Hotch, "I sent in the payment weeks ago, but just got notice this morning that they didn't receive it. I need to go in and straighten it out."

Hotch had let him borrow his car a handful of times in the past, but studying Reid, he did not think letting the restless young man drive would be the best idea at the moment. "You're in no condition to be driving, Reid." Instead, he suggested, "Tell you what. Give me an hour to take care of a meeting I have to get to, then I'll drive you there myself and then take you to the airport."

Reid was far too anxious to think through the logic of this, and began to protest, "But I –" Catching the warning look on his boss' face, he faltered, "I'd really appreciate that, Hotch. Thanks."

Both men rose and exited the office. Reid, still feeling restive, went to wait at his desk and to try to calm down. Hotch went to his meeting two floors down.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Morgan got to his desk about 20 minutes later. He was whistling and smiling as he tossed his keys into his top desk drawer.

Reid knew what that meant, "Good date last night?" He asked unnecessarily. Morgan only flashed him a broader grin. Reid wouldn't normally use his friends good mood for his own personal gain, but he was too fidgety not to this time. "Hey uhh," he started, "I really need to get a bill paid this morning, and it would take two busses and a train to get there. Do you suppose I could borrow your truck? It would take less than an hour."

Though Reid had driven his vehicle short distances a couple of times in the past, Morgan's truck was his baby. Today, however, he was feeling generous. "Sure kid," he said, pulling the keys out of the drawer and tossing them to his young coworker, "but be careful with her, huh?"

Reid actually managed to catch the keys without fumbling them too terribly, "Thanks, Morgan. I will!" As he nearly ran toward the elevators, he called over his shoulder, "see you in about an hour." And he was gone.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Reid did not bother to change Morgan's music. Evidently he had been in the mood for a little Michael Franti this morning, and Reid found he enjoyed the sound as well. It managed to distract him slightly from the nerves he always felt before an impending visit with his mother. He wondered why even now as an adult her "episodes" still distressed him so much. If he put a label on his feelings at those times it would be absolute terror. As a child he had been completely powerless to help her when they happened, but worse yet there was no one around to talk to about them either. He had been alone and frightened throughout a great deal of his childhood.

Through the haze of these thoughts, he looked up and vaguely registered that the light he was approaching was red. He did not however register what that meant fast enough. The car, crossing the intersection only a couple feet in front of him, seemed to be moving in slow motion. Before his foot even reached the break – _**WHAM!**_ The small SUV he hit spun in a full circle as he passed by it and through the intersection. Slamming on the breaks, he quickly took note of the situation. He was unhurt, the truck was still running, no other cars were in the intersection – thank the powers that be – and the lady in the other car looked pissed but unharmed.

He jumped out of the cab of the pickup and ran to meet the lady he'd hit, "I am so, so sorry!" he adamantly declared.

"What were you thinking?" was the lady's angry reply. "You drove right through that red light! Are you blind?"

Reid cringed at her cross words. He had really screwed up this time. Luckily, the lady's anger hinted at her lack of injury. Her car, however, was slightly incapacitated with the tire he'd hit tilted backward at a sickening angle. Looking underneath, there was clearly some damage done there as well, though surprisingly little aesthetic mutilation was done to the exterior of the car.

As he returned to his vehicle to retrieve his information and to call the police, he took a quick look at the front of Morgan's pickup. Other than a slightly dented license plate, there was no perceivable damage. The young man's stomach tied in a knot when he thought about telling Morgan about this, but it was Hotch who would have the most words for him.

With shaking hands, he handed over his driver's license, and Morgan's registration and insurance information. He took hers too and wrote down everything in his notebook. He also offered to call a tow truck for her car and to pay for the service. Cooling down some, and placated by this young man's desire to make things right, she accepted his offer.

When the police arrived, they took both of their statements and information. In the end, finding Reid at fault, they gave him the ticket and allowed the lady to leave with her towed vehicle. Reid was feeling horrible about the damage he had done as he watched her drive away.

The young agent was sitting in the truck waiting for his ticket to be issued when the second police man – the one who had taken the lady's statement – approached him. "Hey! This is Derrick Morgan's truck?" Stunned, Reid merely nodded in the affirmative. "He know you're driving his truck, boy?"

The menacing aggression in the officer's tone made Reid gulp hard before answering, "Yes, sir. He knows."

"He know you got in a wreck with his baby?" Reid bit his lower lip and shook his head no, "He's gonna keel you, boy." The officer obviously knew Morgan well.

Reid's eyes went wide at the absolute truth in that. As he started driving back to the BAU, his mind raced with ideas about how to mitigate the situation as much as possible. There was really only one way to handle this. Pulling out his phone, he dialed Hotch's office number. He looked at his watch as the phone rang and realized Hotch had probably returned from his meeting over an hour ago. In fact Morgan was probably starting to wonder where he was too. As Hotch picked up the phone, Reid considered slamming his shut. He had no idea how he was going to explain himself. Instead, he hesitantly said, "Hi Hotch."

"Reid. Where are you?" Hotch sounded more curious than annoyed, "I thought you would be ready to go when I got back."

"I – I borrowed Morgan's truck." Reid replied softly.

"I see."

Hotch sounded irritated now, and he hadn't even heard the news yet. Reid swallowed and continued, "Hotch, I – uhh – I kinda . . . got in a wreck."

"Are you okay?" was the immediate and anxious reply.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine, Hotch. So is the lady I hit." There was an almost audible sound of relief from the other end of the phone. Delicately, Reid continued, "I haven't told Morgan yet."

Hotch got it now, "Ah. Reid he's going to be angry, but I doubt –" A sound in the background caught Hotch's attention, "Reid! Are you driving right now?"

Startled by the swift increase in Hotch's ire, Reid stammered out, "Y-yes, sir." He hadn't thought about talking on the phone while driving as being dangerous. He and everyone else in the BAU did it all the time.

"Pull over right now, young man!" Hearing the new moniker Hotch used for him alarmed Reid. He'd only heard it a couple of times in the past from his boss, but it always meant he was in a lot of trouble. He did as instructed, "Yes, sir. I'm sorry. I thought it would be okay for me to drive back. I'm only a few miles away."

"Reid, your adrenaline is most certainly high and it's quite possible you're in shock right now. Driving at all is probably not a good idea, but to be talking on your cell at the same time is completely unacceptable. Stay put. Morgan and I will come get you."

"No, wait." The thought of both men confronting him here in this residential neighborhood was mortifying, "I'm fine to drive, Hotch. Really. I can be there in just a few minutes."

"Don't argue with me, Reid. We're coming to get you. Tell me where you are, and don't you dare start that truck up again. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir." He gave Hotch his coordinates then hung up and nervously waited.

XOXOXOXOXO

Less than 15 minutes later, Hotch and Morgan were inspecting the truck for any damage while Reid stood by with his arms wrapped tightly around his midsection. The older men were crouched in front of the truck, looking underneath when Hotch declared, "There doesn't seem to be a single scratch, Morgan." Morgan only grunted. This response made Reid fretfully chew his thumbnail. As they stood up, Morgan gave a side-long glace toward his coworker, "You're lucky, youngster."

Reid tried once again to appease his friend, "I'm really sorry, Morgan." But there was so very little he could do to actually make things better. The pickup was fine, he promised to cover any damages to the other car out-of-pocket. What more could he do?

Morgan advanced on him, but he was no longer as angry as before, "I'm glad you're not hurt, kid." He clapped Reid on the shoulder, "but next time, don't even think about asking me for my truck."

Reid recognized that he was being forgiven and gave a weak, shamefaced smile as he watched Morgan board his vehicle and drive off. Suddenly, he realized Hotch was scrutinizing him with a grim look he had seen only a few times in the past. Reid froze, waiting for the next shoe to drop (distractedly he wondered how many shoes he would watch drop today). He didn't have to wait long. Hotch jerked his head in the direction of his own car and Reid knew they weren't headed back to the BAU.

Silently, Hotch drove them both to his apartment. He was incensed that one of his agents would endanger people so recklessly. His youngest agent was prone to shutting out the world around him when his emotions were too strong for him to handle. It was because of this that, when necessary, Hotch had started disciplining him in a fashion the young man understood. They hadn't reached this level of inappropriate behavior often, but each time Hotch had dealt with it as much as possible in the moment. This was his intention today as well.

For his part Reid sat passively in the passenger's seat knowing full-well where they were going and what would happen when they got there. He silently berated himself for letting his emotions take over where his mother was concerned.

XOXOXOXOXO

The young man sat alone in the quiet of Hotch's austere guestroom thinking about what had happened today, and what was about to happen when Hotch came in. He knew he shouldn't be worried about getting to the airport right now, but he was worried Hotch would try to keep him in DC another day as punishment. He still had more than 11 hours until his flight left, so maybe there was still a chance of making it.

He had been sitting alone for nearly 20 minutes now. He knew the longer he waited, the angrier Hotch was. Twenty minutes was nothing compared to other times he'd found himself here. He willed Hotch to walk through the door. To his surprise, it worked. This was a good sign. Maybe he would get off easy this time. Judging by the stone-faced visage of his boss though, this was unlikely. Reid swallowed hard.

Hotch started the same way he always did, "You're in a lot of trouble, Spencer." The younger man thought he would get used to hearing his first name used in this fashion at some point, but it still unsteadied him every time. Hotch did this to create separation between work and friendship, but he only ever used it when Reid was in serious trouble. The young man also noticed that Hotch had made his customary change into jeans and a sweater. This too was to help create that separation. Hotch took his disciplinarian role very seriously, almost as seriously as his role as supervisor. Reid respected him greatly for this.

The young agent sat on the edge of the small bed lacing and unlacing his fingers, trying not to chew on his nails. Hotch hated when he did that. He looked up at the older man through his eyelashes and nodded his head, "I'm sorry, Hotch." He dropped his gaze to his shoes waiting for the lecture to continue.

"You blatantly disregarded my warning not to drive in your emotional state. You endangered the lives of everyone you came into contact with including your own by following your own selfish whims." Reid flinched at this. He had never thought of his actions as being selfish before. "Furthermore, you put rational thought on hold after the accident because you were worried about protecting yourself from Morgan's anger."

_Damn, Hotch was a great profiler!_

"Stand up, young man. Slacks and underwear off." Hotch declared.

He'd known it was coming, but once again his mouth went dry at the words and his hands began to shake. Reid took a deep breath and did as he was told. While he was preparing, Hotch situated himself on the bed and took the paddle out from the top drawer of the dresser. He put it aside for now, but kept it handy.

When Reid was ready, he laid his long body across Hotch's lap, buried his face in a pillow, and waited for his punishment to begin.

The first hard smack was quickly followed by many more. Hotch did not start out slowly, and the stinging heat built up in the young man's backside quickly. This part of the spanking was done without a word spoken by either man, but once Hotch was satisfied with the light pink shade he had painted all over the young man's butt and thighs, he secured Reid's legs under one of his and switched to the paddle.

The spanking slowed significantly, which Reid was grateful for. The paddle hurt so much more than Hotch's hand, and this gave him more time to process the pain before the next fell. But Reid also dreaded this part because Hotch always coupled the paddle with a continuation of his lecture.

As the first swat fell, Reid yelped and Hotch began, "I expect you to take the time you need to calm yourself before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, Spencer. It is essential that you are focused and are unimpaired before deciding to drive. I also expect you to heed my warnings not to drive. You may not have had the ability to judge for yourself whether or not you should drive, but I directly told you beforehand that I thought it was a bad idea." Reid was already sobbing. Hotch's lectures had that effect on him, and teamed with the paddle, he didn't stand a chance of maintaining his composure. Hotch continued, "If you had waited only ½ hour longer, I would have driven you wherever you needed to go, you would have probably been on your way to Las Vegas by now, and that accident never would have happened."

Reid was gulping for air between sobs. Hotch dropped the paddle and began rubbing comforting circles in the young man's back, "breathe, Spencer. You need to calm down and breathe now." Reid obeyed almost immediately by taking a long, cleansing breath before succumbing to another bout of sobbing. Hotch calmly waited for him to compose himself. When he finally reduced to sniffles and hiccups, Hotch encouraged him to stand up and get dressed.

Once he was put back together, Hotch indicated he should sit on the bed. He clearly wasn't finished yet. Hotch sat beside him and said, "You're grounded, Spencer."

The young man had to wonder if Hotch had forgotten his plans to visit his mother, "B-but, Hotch, I—"

Hotch held up his hand to forestall the argument, "You'll go see your mother. Take as much time as you need. But when you return, you're grounded for a week. We'll discuss the terms of your restriction when you come back."

Being grounded had become a natural and expected part of these punishments, and while not exactly fun, they served to continually remind the young man that someone cared enough about him to give him boundaries. He offered a sheepish grin, "Thanks, Hotch."

"Come on. Your go-bag is in the back of my car. Morgan grabbed it for you before we left earlier. Let's get you to the airport."

**XOXOXOXOXO**

**So, this little story line came to me last night while I was trying to get to sleep after a young man crashed into me yesterday afternoon. It happened almost exactly the way it did in this story except that he did not offer to call me a tow truck and did not wait for the police to arrive. Oh, and today I found out his insurance expired so they're not covering a thing. Luckily, I have great insurance and they're going after the little jerk until he pays. Because I couldn't do to him what I thought he really deserved, I'm afraid poor Reid had to take his punishment. But I feel much better now!**

**Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you think.**


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